1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game apparatus wherein the play of a simulated skill game, such as a competitive sports game, is controlled and determined by the play of a multiple choice strategy parlor game, the play of which is dependent upon chance elements which limit available play options and is also dependent upon a player's judgment in tne selection of one of the available play options.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the art to provide a game apparatus for the play of a simulated skill game, such as baseball or football, wherein the play of the simulated skill game is determined and controlled, either solely or primarily, by chance elements, such as dice, or by statistical elements. Because the outcomes of such games are determined solely or primarily by chance elements or statistical elements, such prior art game apparatuses lack a certain amount of realism and provide, at best, only a limited challenge to the judgment skills of a player.
It is also known in the art to provide a game apparatus for the play of a game involving multiple choice strategy wherein one of a plurality of possible movements is selected by a player to directly affect the play of the game. Such games include checkers and chess. It is also known in the art to provide a game apparatus for the play of a game wherein the total number of available options in a given turn is reduced by way of chance means, such as dice, so that a player's strategy in selecting an option during one turn will differ during each subsequent turn because the available options will be substantially different. It is also known in the art to provide a game apparatus which includes a plurality of playing pieces to move about to certain positions whereby only certain arrangements of the playing pieces on designated positions affect the play of the game. A game utilizing chance elements to control the available options in a game involving multiple choice strategy and utilizing a plurality of playing pieces to move about to certain positions is backgammon. The combination of the above-mentioned elements into a single game, such as backgammon, provides a relatively high level and degree of multiple choice strategy. However, the object of backgammon is for one player to remove all of the playing pieces controlled by him from the playing board before an opponent player can remove all of his playing pieces from the playing board so that movement of the playing pieces is directed to that end.
The game apparatus of the present invention combines the excitement of a simulated skill game, such as a competitive sports game, with multiple choice strategy principles and chance elements to produce a more realistic simulated skill game which is exciting and exhilarating and also tests and challenges the judgment skills of the participants.